HBR's 10 Must Reads on Managing Projects and Initiatives (with bonus article "The Rise of the Chief Project Officer" by Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez)

Make Megaprojects More Modular

Bent Flyvbjerg

WITH CLIMATE CHANGE forcing the pace, many sectors are contemplating major changes in technology and basic infrastructure. The oil- and coal-fired power generators of the last century are giving way to wind farms and solar arrays. Fossil-fueled cars and networks of gas stations may soon be consigned to history. In almost every industry, large capital investments will need to be made, and with them will come big risks.

I’ve researched and consulted on megaprojects for more than 30 years, and I’ve found that two factors play a critical role in determining whether an organization will meet with success or failure: replicable modularity in design and speed in iteration. If a project can be delivered ...